Humidifying and humidity-regulating apparatus.



B. L. CUSHING & E. W. ERRICK.

HUMIDIFYING AND HUMIDITY REGULATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24. 1914.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Lmmmm. Z7

BNTTED @TATFZ% PATENT BRUCE L. CUSHING AND EDWARD W. ERRICK, OF BUFFALO,NEW YORK.

HUMIDIFYING AND I- IUMIDITY-REGULATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. re, rare.

Application filed January 24, 1914. Serial No. 814,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BRUCE L. CUsHING and EDWARD W. ERRICK, citizens ofthe thereof.

The objects of the invention are to produce an efficient and practicalhumidifying apparatus which .will cause a circulation of air in a roomor chamber and automatically control the humidity thereof as may be re.quired; also to construct the device so that it can be made of smalland compact form especially adapted for use in cigar cases and othersmall chambers in which it is desired to maintain a definite conditionof humidity,

and so that the humidity regulating device, while being of small andinexpensive construction is nevertheless accurate and reliable inaction. I

In the accompanying drawmgs: Flgure 1 is a sectional elevation of anautomatic humidifving and humidity controlling device view, partly insection, in line 22, Fig. 1, thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan viewthereof in line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on anenlarged scale, in line 4-4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view of theadjusting device. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section in line 6'6, Fig. 3.Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section in line 7-7, Fig. 3.

The humidifying device comprises a casing through which the air iscirculated by a rotary fan, a water driven wheel or propeller fordriving the fan, a nozzle by which water is discharged against the fanwhereby it is atomized and distributed in a finely divided condition inthe casing so as to humidify the air as it passes through the casing,and a humidity regulating device which is affected by the humidity ofthe air entering the casing and actuates a water supply valve to controlthe humidity of the air.

The casing comprises a lower portion or receptacle A which is open atthe top, and a body portion or shell B, open at its upper and lowerends, which is supported with its open lower end extending downwardlyinto the open upper end of the receptacle A. The receptacle A preferablyhas a dished partition a'with a' central opening forming a partiallyclosed bottom chamber a for the propeller wheel. This propeller chamber,as shown, is of smaller diameter than the upper part of the receptacle.The shell B may be supported and retained. in position in the receptacleA in any convenient way as, for instance, by vertical spacing plates orribs 1) which are secured to the cylindrical walls of the shell B andremovably support the shell in the receptacle A. The shell B ispreferably provided with an enlarged head portion C, the bottom and topwalls 0 c of which converge upwardly. Within the central opening of thehead portion C of the *shell is supported, as by arms d on the head, acap or deflector consisting of horizontal top and bottom plates (2' andd connected by upright spacing plates (i The bottom plate a, which islocated between the top and bottom walls of the head C, is of largerdiameter than the central openings through the bottom and top walls ofthe head so that the air which flows upwardly through the casing isdeflected and has to follow a tortuous course in leaving the casing,whereby more or less of the free particles of water carried by the airare intercepted and separated therefrom. The separated water collectingin the head C drains therefrom through a suitable pipe (13* into theshell and finds its way back to the bottom chamber of the receptacle A.

E represents a horizontally rotating fan arranged inthe casing,preferably near the lower end of the shell B, for causing a circulationof air through the casing, the air entering the casing between the lowerend of the shell Band the receptacle A and passing out through theopening in the top of the head C. The fan is secured to a centralvertical shaft 6 and is preferably driven by a water wheel F which islocated'in the botand distributed-in a finely divided condition in thecasing for humidifying the air passing through th casing. It representsa bafiie plate secured in the casing above the fan for the purpose ofintercepting and breaking up any waterfrom the nozzle which may passthrough the blades of the fan. The water may be supplied 'to thepropeller nozzle G and the humidifying nozzle H by suitable connectionsfrom the ordinary water service system or other source of water underpressure. Preferably a water supply pipe I extends up throughthe floorof the .valve K as follows:

chamber in which the device is located and,

as shown, connects with a passage z in the bottom of the receptacle A,which passage in turn connects by-a pipe a" and passages 21 i z" i withthe propellerand humidifying nozzles G and H. The passages i i i andiare formed in a part of the casting which forms the receptacle A. I isawaste or drain pipe leading from the bottom of the receptacle A.

The discharge of water from the humidifying nozzle is regulated by avalve K under the control of a humidity regulator or hygrostat which isaffected by the humidity of the air entering the casing of thehumidifier. The valve K shown is movable endwise in an enlargement ofthe water passage i leading to the humidifying nozzle and has a projecting stem is. This humidity regulator is preferably constructed andconnected to the 'L L represent two bodies of hygroscopic material whichare preferably arranged adjacent to the space between the upper end ofthe receptacle A and the head C of the casing so as to be in the path ofthe air which enters the casing. These hygroscopic bodies preferablyconsist of perforated tubes of bass wood in which the grain runscrosswise'of the tube. The air thus has access to the interior aswell asto the exterior of the tubes and the tubes will expand or contractlengthwise, depending upon the amount of humidity in the air affectingthe tubes. The tubes L L extend at an angle to each other and areprovided at their outer ends with water supply valve K. The arm bearingpoints Z which rest in fixed bearing provided with bearings Z preferablyin the form of knife edges, which bear in suitable grooves in theoppositesides of a bearing block M arranged between the adjacent ends ofthe tubes.- This bearing block M is provided with a socket m, Fig. 4, inwhich bears the pointed inner end of a screw or rod N which has anadjustable screw connection with the upper end of an actuating lever Ofor the water supply valve K. The adjustablescrew N is preferablyprovided at its outer end with a header dial n for turning it to adjustthe upper end ofv the lever inwardly or outwardly with reference to thebearing block M, and this head or dial. is preferably provided on itsface with suitable marks, such, for example, as the double headed arrowand the words wet and dry, see Fig. 5, to indicate the direction forturning the screw to increase or decrease the humidity of the air. Thelever O is suitably fulcrumed, by means of two cone screws 1), orotherwise, to a bracket p projecting from the casing, and is provided atits lower end with a yielding arm or extension p by which the movementof the lever is transmitted to the water supply valve K -for actuatingit. The arm 39", as shown,

bears at one end against two small screws p, Fig. 4, secured in thelever O, and is provided with a hole through which projects a stem orscrew 2 secured to the lever O. A spring 7) surrounds this stem betweenthe arm p and an adjustable nut p screwed on the outer end of the stem.This spring presses the arm 39 inward toward the lever 0 but permits itto yield outwardly. The tension of the spring can be altered byadjusting the nut to regulate the pressure necessary to cause the arm toyield away from the lever. The free end of the arm p of the lever bearsagainst the outer end of a thrust pin 9 which bears at its inner endagainst the outer end of the stem k of the p and valve stem are providedwith suitable sockets in which the conical ends of the thrust pin areseated. The water supply valve is moved outwardly or opened by a springR which preferably surrounds the valve stem between an adjustable nutscrewed on the outer end of the stem and a guide plug or gland throughwhich the stem passes. This spring exerts an outward pressure on thevalve stem and thrust pin 9, thus holding the pin in position andholding the adjusting screw N at the opposite end of the lever againstthe bearing block M.

The regulating device is preferably located inside of a protectingshield or guard S which, if desired, can be movably secured to thecasing to afiord access to the regulator. A plate 8 also projects fromthe casing above the hygroscopic tubes L L of the regulator and shieldsthem from direct contact with the humidified air leaving the humidifier.

The operation of the humidity regulating device is as follows: If thehumidity of the air increases, the hygroscopic tubes L will expand, andbeing arranged at an angle to each other, will move the bearing block M,the adjusting screw N and the upper end of the lever O outwardly so asto move the lower end of the lever inwardly and move the valve K to shutoff or decrease the discharge of water through the humidifying nozzle H.On the other hand, if the humidity of the air afiecting the hygroscopictubes L decreases, the tubes will contract and the valve actuatingspring R will move the valve outwardly or open it, this movement of thevalve being permitted by the inward movement of the bearing block Mwhich is allowed under this condition. By adjusting the screw N thehygroscopic tubes can be caused to operate to maintain a greater or lesshumidity of the air. The lever 0 actuates the valve through the mediumof the yielding arm 72 and in the event that the hygroscopic tubescontinue to expand after the water supply valve K has been moved againstits seat, the arm 19 will yield and thus prevent injury to theapparatus. The spring 79 for the yielding arm p is adjusted so as toexert suflicient pressure to move the valve inwardly against the actionof the valve opening spring R and, firmly seat the valve but to permitthe arm p to yield before injury is done to the regulating device.

This regulating device while being of simple construction and smallsize, is sensitive and positive in action and insures a reliable and'accurate regulation of the humidity of the air. The air circulating fanis continually in motion whether or not the humidifying nozzle isclosed, thus always maintaining a circulation of air past the humidityregulating device.

We claim as our ifiention:

1. The combination of a humidifier casing, means for circulating airthrough said casing, means for supplying moisture to the air in saidcasing, said casing having a relatively long and'narrow air inletopening, a humidity regulating device having a controlling memberarranged lengthwise of said air inlet opening in close proximitythereto, and means actuated by said device for controlling the supply ofmoisture to the air passing through the casing.

2. The combination of a humidifier casing, means for circulating airthrough said casing, means for spraying water in said casing, a humidityregulating device having a t ll,

member subjected to the air entering the casing, a valve controlling thesupply of water to said spray, and mechanical means connecting saidvalve and said regulating device and checking the flow of water to saidcasing when the humidity of the surrounding air exceeds a predeterminedpoint.

3. The combinationof a humidifier casing, means for circulating airthrough said casing, means for spraying water in said casing, a humidityregulating device having a controlling means and which is expanded andcontracted by the action thereon of the humidity of the air enteringsaid casing, the

movement of the humidity regulating device being imparted to saidregulating device by mechanical means mounted on said casing.

5. A humidity regulator comprising two rigid members which are affectedby changes in the humidity of the air and are arranged to exert pressurein directions at an angle to each other when expanded by the action ofthe humidity of the air, a part which is located between said membersand is moved thereby in a direction at an angle to the directions ofapplication of said pressure, a lever on one arm of which said partacts, and humidifying means actuated by the other arm of said lever.

6. A humidity regulator comprising two rigid members which are afiectedby changes in the humidity of the air and are arranged to exert pressurein directions at an angle to each other when expanded by the action ofthe humidity of the air, a lever engaged by said members and adapted tobe swung about its pivot by the expansion and contraction of saidmembers, and humidifying means engaged by and actuated by said valve.

7. A humidity regulator comprising two wooden members which are arrangedto expand in directions at an angle to each other with changes in thehumidity of the air affecting said members, a part which is locatedbetween said members and against the opposite ends of which said membersbear, said part being moved by the expansion of said members, andhumidifying means acwooden members in which the grain extends beingprovided between said lever and said transversely of the members andwhich are valve. arranged to expand in directions at an an le Witnessour hands, this 14th day of Januto each other with changes in thehumidity ary, 1914. 5 of the air aflecting said members, a movable BRUCEL. CUSHING. part against which the ad acent ends of said v members bearand which is mcved by the EDWARD B expansion of sand members, a leveractuated Witnesses: by said part, and a humidifying valve 210- WILLIAMP. CLOTHIER, Jr.,

10 tuated by said lever, a yielding connection FRANK H. SELLERS.-

